Dynamo 1, Colorado Rapids 0

Honoring fallen Houston firefighters with a jersey patch, the Dynamo appeared on their way to their first win thanks to a header from Brian Ching. Colorado got a late penalty kick chance to tie the game, but Pat Onstad stoned Conor Casey’s shot and the follow-up in an emotional play that turned the Dynamo’s season around.

Notes

The Houston Dynamo earned their first win of the 2009 season with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over the Colorado Rapids Sunday afternoon at Robertson Stadium.

The Dynamo are now 8-2-2 all time against Colorado, led by Brian Ching’s 10 career goals against the Rapids.

Brian Ching’s goal in the 20th minute was the Dynamo’s first goal in the past 254 minutes. It was Ching’s 10th career goal against the Rapids with the Dynamo.

Colorado had a great chance to tie the game in the 84th minute, but Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad dove to his right to save the penalty kick, then shot across to the left-hand post to stop Terry Cooke’s follow-up header.

The penalty kick stop was the first by an MLS goalkeeper this year in eight attempts and makes Onstad 5-for-16 against penalty kicks in his MLS regular season career. He also saved a penalty kick in the 2003 MLS Cup final.

Pat Onstad and the Dynamo recorded their second consecutive shutout. It was Onstad’s 52nd career shutout, which puts him in sole possession of fifth place all-time in MLS.